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He's been peering out the little slit in the door before pacing his room over and over. So many visitors, yet this last one was giving him the most anxiety. The one that shouldn't be giving him any stress at all. He's still shirtless, kind of his 'thing' to do while he's been in his cell. His shirt and jacket lay trundled up on the wooden panel poking out of the wall that passes as a bed. A light sheen of sweat covers his torso as he walks back and forth.. Back and forth.

Folding his arms over his chest he brings one hand up to toy at the jade yin-yang hanging around his neck, before dropping it. He glances at the door. No Vee. Not yet. A crumpled up Quizno's bag lays on top of an empty tray below his 'bed'. Someone brought him dinner. He clasps his hands together in front of him.. Watching the door.

There's the sound of the keypad being pressed before the whoosh of the door sliding open. Veronica steps through the door, glances back over her shoulder to two male agents behind her. "I'll be all right," she tells them, and she pushes the button that will close and lock the door. She turns back to face Brian. She glances to the side, as if to look at the people behind her, then back to him. Her meaning: Follow along. They're watching.

"So they've asked me to set the little jailbird free," she says in a cool voice, though her dark eyes grow soft to see his cell and where he's been holed up. "They know it's pointless, if you have all your other clones running around — but it's not like we have to trust you." She crosses her arms and shakes her head looking at him. "I thought you were my partner. You're just a little boy who wasn't ready to play in the game I guess. Running at the first sign of trouble. I can't believe they want me to bring you home."

Folding his arms over his bare chest, Brian takes a step back. Cool now, more collected. The anxiety rushes out of him instantly. His back sets against the cool wall, leaning against it. He watches her quietly, saying nothing for now. His breathing is slightly labored, probably for the same reason he's covered in sweat.

His chest rises and falls, his eyes lowering to watch the occurence. It's pretty much all that happens while Veronica goes on. Finally he looks back up to her. "I didn't want it either." He answers quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry. You're sorry. I thought you could be dead or something, or that you'd gone to Pinehearst, or that you were killed at Pinehearst. And you're sorry they chose me to take you out of the city. That's all you're sorry for?" The men on the other side of the door will hear bits of the conversation, and see a tense drama played out in front of them. "I should make you sorry." She reaches to her holster, grabbing a gun, pulling it back around and levelling at him. It's the tranq gun, however — it might take a moment to determine that, but she made sure the agents watching her back (literally) saw which gun she was pulling out. The two share a chuckle behind the glass, amused as Sawyer toys with her former partner turned rat.

Watching Veronica, his eyes close for a moment. Then he opens them again, giving her a very flat look. "Do what you have to." Winters mutters, turning he first giver her his side before turning his back to her. Making his way over to the bed, he goes to take a seat on it. "I am sorry." He repeats, more quietly this time.

She whispers quietly, so the other agents won't hear her, "Tranquing - you'll wake up at home." Her apartment. Their apartment. Probably isn't where she's "supposed" to bring him, but she's not going to dump him just anywhere. She'll come up with some excuse for it if anyone finds out. She shoots, aiming for his upper arm where it will hurt less.

His back thuds against the wall as the tranq hits him. He shoots Veronica a sharp glare as his eyes start to sag down. He eventually crumples into a heap on top of his discarded shirt and jacket. Brian tries to keep his eyes open a fraction longer, but eventually the tranquilizer settles in, knocking him out completely.

Veronica moves toward him, picking up the shirt and jacket, pulling the shirt over his head quickly. He's a dead weight, but she manages to do it without too much difficulties. Her fingers brush over his yin yang necklace. So much for luck. She goes back to the door and pushes the button that opens it for the other agents. "All right. Get him to the car. I'll handle it from there."

The two load him onto a hand-held litter that loads onto a gurney. They move through the halls — it's late enough that there's no one around to mock Veronica or Brian, and these two men wouldn't dare. Finally out to the parking structure and the car that Veronica's borrowed to drive out to the city. "Thanks," Vee says as they load him into the front seat.

"You sure he'll be okay? Don't want him in the back of a van?" one queries.

"He'll be fine. There's some understanding. We let him go, he doesn't kill me."

The Beach

Some time later, the car is parked at the same beach that Brian had his "family picnic" at. The windows are rolled down, his chair is reclined, and since it's late, he even has his jacket on top of him like a blanket, as the wind coming off the water is chilly. Veronica is outside of the car, leaning on the hood, watching the moonlight reflecting off the water.

With a start Brian's eyes flash open, his body coming forward suddenly. Taking a few steadying breaths he glances out the windshield. Letting out a long breath, he takes a few moments to orient himself. Get his bearings, track where all his copies are, track where he is. The door opens.

Dropping out onto the sand, he closes the door behind him as he rounds on the hood. The jacket is slung over his shoulder in typical GQ fashion.

"Hi."

Oof. Veronica turns and propels herself into his arms, her head burrowing into his chest, inhaling his scent, feeling his warmth. "I'm sorry," she murmurs, the words muffled as her arms encircle his waist, holding him tightly in case he's mad and tries to turn to go. There will be no turning away from this embrace! Finally she lifts her chin, resting it on his chest and looking up at him with wet eyes. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you at all?" She means Elle and Magnes, anyone else who's seen him before she did.

"I'm fine, baby." Brian says warmly, curling his one arm around her. The jacket is tossed onto the hood of the van. He frowns down at her, bringing up one thumb to wipe away the tears and moisture from her eyes. "I'm totally fine." He repeats, lowering his head he kisses her lips softly. "Everything's okay."

She looks up at him, obviously pained by having to treat him so badly, having to shoot him. But then that look becomes a little hurt and confused, as she shakes her head. "I can't believe you didn't tell me," she says in a low tone, as if they are being watched — she checked his clothing and the car for bugs, but she didn't see anything. It's just her natural tendency to be doubtful. Thus the little show with the fellow agents. "How are we going to do this?"

"I.." Fine it all has to come out. "I didn't tell you because.." He releases her. "I've been lying a lot. To get into different organizations. Poke my feelers around. Get information. I'm all over the city Vee. And some times, to get my information. I have to do things I'm not proud of." He takes a step back. "Like making other women think I'm interested in them." That's the worst sin, in his book.

He simply looks back up at her, allowing her anger or rage or whatever she has in store for him.

She nods. It's actually less horrible than the various scenarios that have played out in her mind, since he mentioned doing things he couldn't talk about. "Don't worry about that. We were never official in the old days anyway, right? It's not like we were exclusive." He knew about Kat, at any rate. "Now… I don't know. We never talked about it. I'm not good at the relationship thing. I don't know what the rules are. Didn't watch enough chick flicks I guess, growing up." She smiles and leans in to kiss him lightly. "I've been under cover before, Brian. I know how it works. Sometimes you have to sleep with the enemy. I'm a big girl. I'll handle it."

"I'm not sleeping with her." Brian quickly interjects. "I'm not cheating on you I just.." Wow she's handling this surprisingly well. "I love you." He maintains, going with the speech he had practiced even though this is not what he had anticipated. "And you're the only one for me. I just.." He pauses, peering at her. "Really? Are you sure?" For a moment he's not sure if he likes the fact that she's not jealous. "You don't care at all?" He purses his lips. "Fine then, I'm sleeping with everyone I see."

She frowns as he's suddenly angry, and steps away from him. She heads toward the water for a few steps and turns back around, tears in her eyes. "I didn't accuse you of sleeping with everyone you see, but with as many clones as you have wandering the city, how do I know if it's true or not?" Veronica asks, her eyes flashing. "You have to pretend to be Fulk, right? Part of me figured you have some relations you have to keep up on his end. Did I like it? No. But then you don't like fact that I work for the organization your friends are trying to dismantle. It evens out, right?" She turns back and takes another few steps toward the water before flopping down onto the sand. It's too tiring to walk in sand and be angry.

"I understand." He lets out a ffff sound, displaying his agitation in driving her away. "Okay. I'm sorry Vee." He says, throwing his hands out in concession as he follows her. Sighing as she flops down, he goes to kick off his loafers. Then moving forward goes to flop down as well.

Into Veronica's lap. Going slowly as to not hurt her, as he is heavier. He lets out a huff as he goes to sit down. "At least there won't be as many secrets this way. What with us kind of working together." He offers quite optimistically.

She laughs as he moves to flop into her lap, moving so his rear makes it onto the sand, but then leaning against him and wrapping her arms around his middle. "I guess. I think Len released you to me because he thinks I'll kick your ass if you do something stupid." She waits a beat. "That's not too far from the truth. But are you going to actually to let me in?"

"You wouldn't kick my ass." Shaking his head he leans back into her embrace. Giving a sound of contentment, he twists his neck around in order to plant a kiss against her cheeck. "Even if you could." He grins broadly, they're still on that." He gives a shrug. "I thought you were going to be pissed about that. But.. you're oddly cool about it. Which I don't understand, even though I feel tremendous amounts of guilt." He shrugs.

"I don't want you to worry about me Vee. I'm going to be fine. That's also why I didn't want to tell you anything. I may or may not have been getting into some.. deep shit. Not everything I want the Company to know about."

She nods and leans her cheek against his back. "You have to give me some genuine info. Maybe not everything, but enough that they lay off of us, all right? If it's going to work… I can play us off if they wonder why we're as close as we are. At least it lets us be together without hiding so much." Miracle of miracles. Romeo and Juliet's stars are for once in alignment, even if it's just for a fleeting moment before they revert to their usual crossed state.

Pressing her away with his back he goes to turn. Placing himself on his knees. "There's nothing wrong with a snitch and his handler becoming intimate is there? As long as you get the information. We can actually be together." At least in her part of the world. His still has to be a big fat secret. Placing his hands on her shoulders he grins down at her. "I can actually live at the apartment now." He smiles brightly, going to push her shoulders back down into the sand.

She smiles up at him, her dark hair spilling across the golden sand as she lies back. "Can I ask you a favor?" she asks quietly, her hand moving up to stroke through his hair. "If… if you have to kiss the other women or anything else… can you do it with a clone that you don't use with me?" The question is spoken softly in her husky voice, and her cheeks color just a touch at asking it. Apparently some part of her is a little jealous, despite the nonchalance from earlier.

He pauses, looking down at her with a deep frown. For a moment his heart completely breaks, shatters and falls out of his mouth into a stream of heart dust which catches on the wind and flies off to Maryland. In reality, he simply stares at her feeling as if his heart could indeed do that. He gives a faint nod, before moving his legs to straddle her.

One hand on either side he slowly lowers himself to kiss her again. "I'm sorry." He whispers into her lips.

Veronica shakes her head. She puts a finger to his lips as he apologizes. "No sorries. I understand. I do. It's all right. If you can love me when I work for the Company, I can love you through that. It's all right." She kisses him again, lips moving into a smile. "Let's go home."